The Alaska Legislature - Update

• A Valdez Republican is sponsoring a bill to require that winter drivers use studded tires or tires with the rubber industry's mountain and snowflake logo that indicates they meet severe-weather standards.
  

• I'd have to agree with this one; we've all spent too much time sitting behind drivers who still have summer tires on their cars, spinning them in a vain attempt to pull away at a green light. And that's on level ground.

  
  
• As lawmakers debate whether to give big tax breaks to Big Oil this year, a key question concerns whether tax increases passed in 2007 are hurting the industry that fuels Alaska government and, if so, what to do about it.
  

• Predictably, both sides are making lots of noise about this one. Yes, exploration seems to be down, and production is falling off. But I don't notice the oil companies reporting lower profits.

  
  
• Lawmakers have begun looking at whether to ban virtually all cell phone use while driving in Alaska.

• They're also discussing exemptions - like for long-haul truckers - which rather defeats the purpose of a "ban", don't you think?

• The state would give companies a 10-year tax break on new oil under the latest proposal aimed at encouraging development in Alaska.

• See above.

  
  
• Should the state allow families to collect the Permanent Fund dividends of recently deceased relatives?

• This one could be political poison for whoever touches it, but let me take a whack at it. "Mr. John Smith of Chugiak is a long-time resident. He dies before this year's checks are mailed out. Should his family still receive it?" YES. The payment is for being here the previous calendar year, and he was otherwise qualified to receive it. That's fair, under the way it's currently set up.
  

• One proposal under discussion is Governor Parnell's idea of giving scholarships to all Alaskan college students.
  

• We have a budget surplus, and there would be FAR worse ways to spend some of it. I'd say that as long as the students qualify - and there should be eligibility standards, including scholastic marks - then why not?
  

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